Thread: Opposition gathers for Alabama's proposed illegal immigratio

Opposition gathers for Alabama's proposed illegal immigration bill
Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 7:55 AM Updated: Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 10:54 AM
By Kim Chandler -- The Birmingham News The Birmingham News

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- OppoÂ*nents of an illegal immigraÂ*tion bill lined up to speak at a public hearing Tuesday, telling Alabama state senators they believe the legislation is unconstituÂ*tional and would lead to raÂ*cial profiling.

But senators in favor of the legislation said someÂ*thing must be done to curb the number of illegal immiÂ*grants in Alabama.

The bill by Sen. Scott BeaÂ*son, R-Gardendale is similar to one proposed in the House of Representatives. The bill would let a police officer determine a person's immigration status during traffic stops or arrests if there is "reasonable suspiÂ*cion" the person is in the United States unlawfully. It also would make it a crime to transport, employ or rent to an illegal immigrant.

"What it will do is make Alabama a state where illeÂ*gal immigration is frowned upon. The federal governÂ*ment is not enforcing their own law. Our goal is to make sure that we are not a sanctuary state," Beason said.


Sen. Scott BeaÂÂ*son, R-Gardendale sponsored the Alabama Senate bill which is similar to one proposed in the House of Representatives.

Critics of the legislation said it would lead to racial profiling.

"This is a serious threat to the Fourth Amendment rights of all Americans who might look and sound forÂ*eign," Allison Neal, legal diÂ*rector for the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said.

Gwendolyn Ferreti, the daughter of Mexican immiÂ*grants who now are U.S. citÂ*izens, told committee memÂ*bers that the bill could affect people like her.

Ferreti questioned what constitutes reasonable susÂ*picion. "Is it an accent? Is it the way I look?" she asked.

Beason disagreed that the bill would encourage profilÂ*ing. He said a person still could be pulled over only for committing a crime or traffic violation.

"You can't just say they look like they might be illeÂ*gal," Beason said.

Andrew Turner, an attorÂ*ney with the Southern PovÂ*erty Law Center, called the bill an "empty gesture of deÂ*fiance" that would only end up in court.

"What you are achieving by passing this bill is to send some paperwork to the fedÂ*eral court," Turner said.

Only opponents spoke during the public hearing. Beason said that was beÂ*cause he did not publicize it to supporters of the legisÂ*lation Beason said something needs to be done to curb the number of illegal immiÂ*grants taking jobs AlabamiÂ*ans could hold.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/03/opp ... abama.html

Critics of the legislation said it would lead to racial profiling.

Every time I read/hear this argument the first thought that comes to my mind is: "Every LEO in America must be suspected as racist because it's not only immigration law that could cause racial profiling."

ah the ACLU - SPLC duo strikes again.

if its like the arizona bill, it will have provisions that say if a person has a valid driver license from any state, they are deemed to be in the US legally and the police can not go any further

I'm so sick of this copout of racial profiling until I can spit on the wall. In Mexico a citizen of that country can call you out for being in that country "ILLEGALLY" and nothing is ever said about them racial profiling those who are OTM in their country. this racial profiling is getting pretty old IMO and, they need to come up with something else. now if that woman who spoke is in the country "LEGALLY" and has proof, then there is no need for her to worry now is there and to be honest with you Mexicans are some of the most racist people on earth and thats the truth. remember the stamps they sold a couple of years ago making fun of black people and to this day, their president Fox has never issued an apology. Jesse Jackson even went down there about it and, now he has the nerve to be marching with them. I've even heard a Mexican male on tv talking $hi* about black people and, he was such a coward that he had them not show his face while he was talking his $hi*.to sum it all up, they can ill aford to talk about racial profiling